quick clicks

preconception articles

preconception q&a

message boards

research baby names

prepare a birth plan

content channels

ip channel rss feeds

read birth stories

read parenting stories

recommended books

e-newsletters

safety recalls

ip diaries

ip store

mom of the month

dad of the month

editor's letter

letters to the editor

Before Baby

Choosing Breastfeeding
Before You Conceive

By Shel Franco

"There are things in breast milk that have yet to be identified, or even if they have been identified, the formula companies haven't found a way to put them in a can. Formula is an ongoing experiment, with our children as unwitting participants. Formula can provide adequate nutrition for a growing infant who cannot breastfeed, but it is, by definition, substandard. Breast milk is the gold standard of infant nutrition!"

Have you established personal beliefs in regard to childbirth? Now is the time to iron out your feelings about the process. It can affect you in more ways than one.

"It is important to realize that your birth can also profoundly affect your baby's ability to breastfeed," says International Board Certified Lactation Consultant Ann Calandro. "A prepared birth with little or no medication can make your nursing go smoother, as your baby will be stronger and more alert from the beginning."

If you are undergoing fertility treatments or are dealing with a particularly high-risk health issue, a birth without medical intervention could be out of the question and even dangerous. Still, knowing ways to facilitate breastfeeding immediately after delivery can help ease both you and Baby into that first nursing session.

The best preparation is to spend time with other successful breastfeeding moms. If you are lucky enough to have family and/or friends who fit that bill, then you are all set.

"My husband and I are trying to conceive our first child, so I'm trying to spend a lot of time with my aunt, who is breastfeeding her new baby," says Gwen Miller of Syracuse, N.Y. "She had some trouble in the beginning, but she fixed that, and it has been really nice to see how she does it. I do feel like I am better off having had this experience, and I think I will be more at ease when it is my turn."

If you don't have successful breastfeeders in your social circle, all is not lost. La Leche League support groups welcome "prospective" breastfeeding mothers to their meetings. You can also gain a wealth of knowledge from some of the well-written books about breastfeeding: The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding

Want to see more?

• Fertility Drugs: Are They Right For You?
• Never Say Never: Planning Pregnancy With a Chronic Health Condition
• The Pregnancy Challenge
• Talk about it!